Minnow trap



www?

'mm my w23 MINNOW TRAP Filed Feb. ze, 192s @Het umts ITEDs einer GEORGE H. PRIME, OF NORWICH, NEW YORK.

MINNOW TRAP.

Application filedl February 28, 1923. 1 Serial No. 621,893.

To all whom Vtl may concern.'

kBe it known that I, GEORGE H. PRIME, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Norwich, inthe county of Chenango and State of New York, have invented certain newk and useful Improvements in Minnow Traps, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a minnow or fish ltrap and particularly to a construction adapted to be collapsed and folded into convenient form for transportation in the kit Vof. a fisherman or other party using the same.

i In the prior artthe folding type of traps have generally failed to provide astructure which would fold .into Substantially flat I `portionis .composed of similar hinged sec- .tionsadapted to fold in a like manner and -fpivotally mounted luponlthe walls of the trap so asl toA -swing'toward the interior form for transportation and when opened for use were not rigidly braced jto secure stability when handled in the waterfor the purpose of removing minnows.

The present invention, therefore, seeks to provide a trap adapted to bev folded into absolutely flat forml and in which the funnel or entrance portion is comprised ofv foldable sections and mounted to swing within the` the body ofthe trap so as to effertually brace and vmaintain the'walls thereof in the'application and use of the trap.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved construction in which the trap walls are formed of reticulated material and hinged to each other soas to fold intof'flat position andthe entrance thereof andwhen-.in:suchposition:brace the tmpfwallsagainst collapsing'and maintain .-tli'erelative parts inproper position for use.

r Another object ofthe invention is'to pro-r.

vide the -tra p; wit-.han fend-'wall opposite the .funnel-portion pivotally mounted so that the vcontents of the trap may be removed together with securing devices forholdingthis end wall and. alsoftlie entrance'p'ortion' in proper-,relation to thebody of the trap.

'l' Utiler- .and further.. objects and advantages of the inventionwill be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined- .by the appended claims.

ln' the drawing: Y

Figure 1 isa-perspectiveof the invention with, part'l broken away.

Q Figure .is an end view from .the en' trance end. ot' the trap.

Figure 5 is an end view of the folded trap. I

Like numerals of reference refer to like parts 1n the several figures of the drawings.

The trap may be formed of anydesired material and may be of any configuration,

l preferably of a galvanized wire structure which will resist rust under submer ed conditions. The numeral 10 designates t 1e `walls of thetrap portion of which four are herein shown, forming a rectangular structure, but the shape or form of the trap may be altered and the number of walls used correspondingly changed. These reticulated sections are connected 'together by any desired form of hinge, Vfor instance, as shown at 11, such being a permanent or fixed hinge, so that the sections of the trap body are always connected and when folded two thereof rest upon the remaining two while the walls are refolded upon each other to form a substantially fiat-compact body, as shown in Figure 5. Y ,p The entrance portion of the trap is formed of rectangular configuration to correspond with the body thereof and comprises the sections 12, similarly connected by fixed flexible hinges 13 so as to fold in either direction in like manner to the body. The entrance or funnel portion thus comprises a unit which swings inward within the body walls and braces lthe same against collapsing. For this purpose the `entrance portion is hinged to one of thebody walls as shown at 14.

It is understood that the inwardly tapering walls 12 of t-he funnel or entrance portion converge toward each other and terminate at apoint removed from their apex sufficient to provide the inlet opening or passage 115.

At theopposite end of the trap from the entrance funnel an end wall 16 is provided andfliinged at 17 v to a wall 10 of the trap body. This door or rear wall may be secured infposition when in use by means of securing devicesvlS such as the hooks engaging the eyes 19 and arranged at the unsecured sides fof the end. Vhen the parts are collapsed this door is folded downward upon thewall of 'the trap to which it is pivoted, and it will be obvious that the door may be readily opened for the purpose of removing the contents of the trap.

rIhe entrance or funnel portion of the trap y means of the hinges 11 and secured intermediate thereof by a connecting ring or eye 21.

In the operation of the invention the trap may be folded into a flat compact form shown in Figures 4 and 5 and thus readily carried by a sportsman in his kit or pocket while when opened in osition :for use, as shown in Figures 1 an 2, the main walls are braced by the insertion of the entrance portion which is swung inward and secured in position as shown. This -bracing is further accomplished by the opposite end wall or door similar] secured to the body of the trap. The fixe pivotal mounting between the sections constantly retain the same in assembled relation yet permit the convenient shifting of osition for the purpose of folding and co apsing the tra when desired. In this foldin action the nnel is swung bodily outwar from the trap and two walls thereof folded into contact with each other, these walls bein then refolded upon each other and the co apsed funnel folded back upon the similarly folded body portion, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. For this purpose the hinged joints between the parts are flexible for free movement in opposite directions and spaced to permit the folding and refolding of the walls'into a flat position.

It will be obvious that the trap isnot conned in its use to submerged or fishing purposes but may be used for other insects or animals attracted thereto by bait properly ap lied within the trap.

iile the details ofthe invention have been specifically shown and described it is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit o the invention as delined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A trap comprising a plurality of sections having ixed hinged connections to fold upon each other, and an entrance funnel formed of sections each havin fixed hinged connections to fold in opposlte directions, said funnel being bodily pivoted to a wall of the trap to swing relative to the interior thereof.

2. A trapv com rising a plurality of sections having fixedp hinged connections to fold in opposite directions upon each other, an entrance-funnel formed of sections having fixed hinged connections foldable in opposite directions, said funnel being bodily pivoted to a wall of the trap to swing relative to the interior thereof, and securing devices carried by the trap walls to engage the free edges of the walls of said entrance funnel.

3. A trap comprising a plurality of sections having exible hinged connections to fold upon each other, an entrance funnel formed of sections having xed hinged connections foldable in opposite directions, said funnel being bodily pivoted to a Wall of the trap to swin relative to the interior thereof, an end wal pivotally connected to one of the trap sections, and securing means for retaining said end wallin closed position.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my si ature.

GEORGE H. PR ME. 

